Return of the Roses
by AuthoressAurora17
Summary: All of May's friends are paired off and mostly married. Misty had just been proposed to, and May's invited to the wedding. She's thrilled for her friend but she longs to experience what she has. When Misty's invitation comes in the mail, she's asked to bring a date. May's dilemma is solved when she re-meets Drew by the beach. Maybe, just maybe, she'll find love. Contestshipping!


**Just for fun, I thought I'd try to practice my ContestShippingness Sorry if this isn't that great, I'm not the best at short stories, especially about couples that aren't my OTP xD But beaches and sunsets and love~**

**I also apologize for any OOCness, I haven't seen the series in ages T.T**

**Just a warning: contains hints of PokeShipping, IkariShipping, ShootsdownShipping**

* * *

**_Chapter One_**

**First Time, Again**

* * *

May Maple sighed as she walked out of her house, feeling depressed after hearing the latest news.

_"Guess what, May!"_ Misty Waterflower had shrieked as soon as May had picked up the video call. _"He finally proposed! He finally proposed!"_

"Ohmygosh, he did?"May had exclaimed excitedly. "How'd he do it? I can't believe Ash finally got off his butt and asked you!"

Misty had grinned widely as she flashed her new engagement ring in front of her on screen. It was a gorgeous silver band with a princess-cut emerald set in a frame of diamonds. _"Well he brought me to my favorite restaurant, the one that has all the water Pokemon swimming below you, do you remember?"_

May had nodded - the restaurant Misty named was a fancy five star restaurant that was set over an enormous aquarium, where Pokemon swim underneath and provide an almost ethereal view of the coral, white sand, and serene Pokemon.

_"Well there's the VIP room on the balcony on the second floor, and Ash reserved it for us. I was excited because that table isn't cheap, and I could see all the Pokemon splash around and enjoy themselves!"_ Misty's jade eyes were dreamy and May began to wonder if the redhead even remembered she was there. _"Then after the delicious lemon meringue pie dessert, he went down on one knee and held out a little wine-red box, and opened it. Inside was this beautiful ring! He said, 'Misty, I know we fight a lot, but there's no one I'd rather fight with than you. So please don't hit me with your mallet for a few minutes and... Will you marry me?"_

"That's so adorable!" May squealed.

_"I know right!"_ Misty's face was alight with pure joy. _"Oh sorry May, I have to attend to something at the gym - my stupid sisters want to give away another badge. I'll send you an invite for the wedding, okay?"_

"Thanks Mist, I'll be there for sure," May had agreed brightly.

Once the call had disconnected, May's cheerful smile had turned into a depressed frown.

It wasn't as if she wasn't happy for of friend; of course not. On the contrary, May was deliriously happy for Misty - Ash had finally proposed to her after years of dating. Misty had complained a few months ago that she felt as if she'd be the last one of the girls to get married. Dawn had married her boyfriend Paul two years ago at a scenic waterfall decorated with beautiful blossoms, and Zoey and Kenny (two Coordinator friends of Dawn's) had a quiet, but wonderful, wedding just a month ago. Heck, even Brock got married four years ago!

May was the last of her friends to experience love, and she felt left behind. She'd never had a boyfriend before in her life; Sid's infatuation in LaRousse City did not count.

Thinking of LaRousse City, her thoughts turned to Drew...

Where had he been anyway? May had traveled all through Johto until the Grand Festival and then to Sinnoh, where she met Dawn, before returning to Hoenn. She'd never seen Drew since they last parted in Johto.

May recalled the scrapbook she had at home, filled with dozens of the roses Drew had given her. Sure, they were for Beautifly, but that didn't stop her from blushing every single time she received one. Many times when she'd felt lonely, her hands would involuntary trace each petal of the latest rose.

Her romantic heart couldn't help but read into his words, as she remembered one time he had tossed her a rose.

_"Is this for Beautifly?"_ she'd asked, smiling as she caught it. She'd just won a contest, there was nothing that could get her down.

She was shocked when he smirked and tried to cover it with an arrogant wave of his hand and a flick of his hair. _"S-something like that."_

Without realizing, her feet brought her to the beach where she had first met Drew. Something nostalgic in her decided to train for her next Contest, so she pulled off her clothes and stepped into the sparkling blue water in her red bikini.

"Beautifly! Munchlax! Take the stage!" the brunette Coordinator called out, tossing two Poke Balls in the air. In two flashes of red light, the two Pokemon appeared on the beach.

They both looked at May quizzically, and she grinned sheepishly. "I like the water. The sun's nice!" Then she added, "Let's practice for our next contest!"

"Beauuu-tifly!" the butterfly Pokemon responded, waving its colorful wings elegant.

"Munch, muchlax!" the Big Eater Pokemon called to attention. May and Beautifly sweat dropped.

"I fed you half an hour ago," May exclaimed, flailing her arms in frustration. "And you're hungry again?"

"Munch, munch, munch!" Munchlax copied its trainer with its arms.

"Okay, fine," May sighed, trudging out of the cool water and back onto the scorching sand. "Ouch! Munchlax, you'd better pull of a good appeal for this!" she told her Pokemon irritably as she fished around her bag for a PokeBlock - specifically one she'd dubbed May's Pink Surprise all those years ago.

"When I wanted to stroll down the beach, I didn't expect to see you," a wonderfully familiar voice cut into her grumbling. May jumped a foot in the air before she dared to look up - into a Coordinator's emerald eyes.

Instead of mocking her with his smirk like he would've in the past, his expression was one of almost innocent shock.

"Drew?"

"That's me." May's disbelief vanished in an instant as he performed his signature hair flick. A slight smirk formed on his face. "Have you had hallucinations of me? I'm flattered May, but you should see a psychiatrist for your condition."

"WHAT!" The familiar sense of fury erupted in her as her eyes burned, glaring at Drew. But her anger dissipated immediately as his smirk dropped and he laughed. His laugh was a genuine, honest sound, and she couldn't help but smile in return.

"I'm just kidding!" May appreciated the new Drew - he'd obviously matured, and though he retained a sense of his arrogance (he wouldn't really be Drew without it, would he?), he knew when to rein it in and be easy-going. He walked towards her as he spoke, and May looked him over.

He was taller, of course. His face was more shaped, elegant edges that had a slight jaggedness to pass as masculine. His stereotypical outfit that he'd worn in the past had changed to a black jacket and a casual green shirt over a pair of tan khaki shorts.

"You haven't changed at all," he observed, noting with amusement May's blush as she realized he'd seen her staring. "Still the same May. Annoying, fiery, and wearing too much red."

"Hey!" May glared at him once more. He merely smiled indulgently.

"You were feeding your Munchlax, right?"

"Munch munch lax!" the Big Eater Pokemon agreed, waving its arms around. May sweat dropped.

"Right." She rummaged around in her back for her PokeBlock case and tossed Munchlax the pink block that would fill him up immediately. "There you go. Now you'd better give me a good practice!"

"How about a battle for old times' sake?" Drew offered, his hand hovering over a PokeBall of his own. May glanced to her two Pokemon.

"What do you think?" she asked them.

"Beautifly!" "Munch!" May grinned and nodded determinedly.

"You're on!"

* * *

May lost.

But it was a close match - moments after Beautifly and Munchlax collapsed, his Masquerain and Roserade fell in a dead faint at his feet. Drew looked astonished and almost satisfied.

"You've gotten stronger" was the only thing he said as he recalled his Pokemon. May grinned triumphantly.

"Of course! I'll beat you next time," she vowed, recalling her Pokemon as well. She shivered, realizing the sun was setting and she was still soaked from being in the water the majority of the duration of their match.

"Sure you will," Drew replied, twirling a PokeBall in his hand as he smirked. May giggled in return, then stopped in surprise.

When had she found his overconfidence _charming_?

_That's probably what every fan girl feels when they see Drew,_ May reflected, with a sense of wonder. _Huh._

"Heading back to the Pokemon Center?" Drew offered her his hand, and she nodded, then shivered again. He frowned, but withdrew his hand and tossed her his jacket instead.

May snuggled into the warmth of the black material and giggled again when her fingers found the stem of a fragrant rose. "Thank you," she whispered, surprised and pleased.

"Don't mention it" was her answer, accompanied by the hair flick. May smiled in response.

They sat on the beach talking, catching up on the years they'd missed. The sunset provided a comforting sense of scenery and warmth as they conversed, and May had never felt so content in her life. She was surprised at how down-to-earth and easy to talk to Drew was, and realized with a sense of guilt that they'd never had a conversation lasting for more than three minutes without either one of them annoying the other.

Suddenly a memory flashed into her mind. Drew had just said goodbye after complimenting her, on a beach much like this one. Brock, Ash, and her mother had come out and seen the receding Drew and May blushing.

_"You two out here on the beach, how romantic!"_ Caroline had gushed.

May's face turned red, and she hoped that Drew assumed it was from the sunset. But she secretly hoped nevertheless.

_Maybe I'll have my chance at love..._

* * *

**There's more to come, I promise! Next chapter will be titled "Who to Ask?"**

**Although I won't update if no one likes this... So please tell me what you think, thank you!**

**~Air**


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